Bringing Down Driving Test Waiting Times

Here's a summary of the update on driving test booking rules and reducing waiting times:

1. Changes to the Driving Test Booking System (Spring 2026):

   • Learners Only: Only learner drivers will be able to book and manage their own tests, preventing third parties from reselling tests.

     
     

   • Limit Test Changes: Learners can only move or swap their test twice and must stay within a limited geographical area once booked. This aims to prevent tests being moved to higher-demand areas.

   
   

2. Consultation Results:

   
   

   • Option 1A (Learners only to manage bookings): 70.7% of respondents agreed. This change stops third-party businesses from reselling tests.

     
     

   • Option 2B (Limiting test changes): 50.8% of instructors agreed. The new limits will make it fairer and improve access to tests in quieter areas.

     
     

3. Partnership with Ministry of Defence (MOD):

   
   

   • 36 MOD driving examiners (DDEs) will work one day per week for 12 months to help with test demand. They will focus on car tests but could also do vocational ones. Each DDE will conduct around 7 tests per day after completing 10 days of training.

     
     

4. Waiting Times Target Update:

   
   

   • 7-Week Target Delayed: The government confirmed it won't meet the target of reducing waiting times to 7 weeks by summer 2026. Increased demand is still outpacing efforts to reduce waiting times, but reducing delays remains a top priority.

     
     

5. Next Steps:

   
   

   • The full consultation summary will be published, and these changes are set to be introduced in spring 2026, after required legislative and technical adjustments.

     
     

In short, changes are coming to make the test booking process fairer and reduce waiting times, but these measures will take time to implement, and the 7-week waiting time target won’t be met by summer 2026.

Target Tuitions Response: While I acknowledge the efforts being made to address the ongoing issues with driving test waiting times, I remain concerned that the key changes outlined will not substantially reduce the waiting list for tests in the short term.

The introduction of measures aimed at reducing profiteering from third-party businesses selling test appointments is a step in the right direction, but more targeted action is needed. Specifically, the focus should be on identifying and closing down the accounts of those exploiting the system for profit. Simply limiting test swaps and restricting booking locations will not adequately address the scale of the problem.

I do welcome the additional driving examiners, particularly those from the Ministry of Defence, as a temporary solution to help alleviate demand. However, the number of additional examiners is still insufficient to make a significant impact on the current backlog.

The new rules around limiting test swaps to two and restricting the location of test changes will help address some of the issues caused by automated systems (bots) and unfair rescheduling practices. These measures may reduce the ability for individuals to game the system, ensuring a fairer and more equitable process for learner drivers. However, it’s important to note that the immediate and short-term impact of these changes will likely be an increase in online search activity, with learners still scrambling to secure available tests. Driving instructors, unfortunately, may find themselves unable to assist with securing short-notice appointments for their students.

Additionally, the demand for intensive driving courses may also be affected by the inability to easily book tests at short notice, which could lead some customers to reconsider their course options. The intensive model, which many students prefer, may no longer be viable under these new conditions, as availability and flexibility are critical to these types of courses.

While I understand the long-term goal is to see improvements within 6 to 12 months, the reality is that these changes may not yield significant results in the immediate future. The effectiveness of these reforms will ultimately depend on how quickly additional resources and system enhancements are implemented, and whether they can meet the growing demand for driving tests.

In conclusion, while these changes represent an attempt to address the challenges within the current system, a more comprehensive and proactive approach is needed to address the backlog and ensure that learner drivers are not unfairly disadvantaged.